Parachute toy



Au 26, 1947. A. STILLMAN PARACHUT E TOY Filed June 14, 1944 2Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. fi Z/reai Ste'lbrzarz ATTORNEY A. STILLMAN'PARACHUTE TOY Aug. 26, 1947.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 14, 1944 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 26, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,426,323PARAGHUTE TOY Alfred Stillman, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application June '14,1944, Serial No. 540,184

(o1. ift-86) 4 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a parachutetoy.

More specifically, the invention proposes the construction of aparachute toy including a lightweight figure of a parachutist with astick attached on and projected downwards from the figure, and with aparachute sail attached to and extending over the figure to permit thefigure to settle to earth after being shot into the air.

Still further, the invention proposes the pro vision of novel means forshooting the stick into the air. To accomplish this it is proposed toprovide an arrow of a certain design to receive the stick for a bow, orendless rubber band mounted on the end of a stick, or a spring actuatedgun or pneumatic tube to be used as the motivating force for shootingthe arrow and stick through the air.

Another object of the invention proposes. several forms of a novel meansfor holding. the

.parachute in a folded position on the figure while the stick is risingthrough the air to be released from the back of the parachutist to openthe chute when the stick starts descending.

Still another object of the invention proposes arranging the parachuteholding means in such a manner that the parachute will automaticallyrelease itself under the influence of the rush of air against the bottomof the parachute when the stick starts its descent.

A further object of the invention proposes the construction of aparachute toy which is simple and durable and which may be manufacturedand sold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof; reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure;

Fig. 1 is an assembled view of a parachute toy about to be shot into theair.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed view of a portion of Fig. 1. i

Fig. 3 isv an elevational view of a parachute toy with its parachutesail extending above the figure of the parachutist during the descent.

Fig. l is an enlarged partial vertical sectional view taken on the line44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a partial vertical sectional View taken on the line 5--5 ofFig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the holder for receiving the 'end of thestick attached to the parachutist when it is to be shot into the air.

Fig. '7 is a sectional View similar to Fig. 4 but illustratingamodification of the invention.

Fig. 8 is another sectional view similar to Fig. 4 but illustrating astill further modification of the invention. i

The parachute toy. according to this invention, comprises a lightweightfigure of a parachutist it. This comprises a piece of essentially flat,heavy cardboard material which has the figure of a parachutist printedon the face thereof. A stick i l is attached on and projects downwardsfrom the figure. The stick H is extended along the back of thelightweight figure l0 and has its end which engages the figure flattenedand secured thereto by mucilage l2.

A parachute sail of silk paper is provided for the figure H). Aplurality of shroud lines l3 depend from the parachute sailand areconnected with the figure. The top ends of the shroud lines l3 areextended through openings 14 formed in the bottom edges of the parachutesail l2. The openings M are reinforced by having pieces of reinforcingmaterial l5 attached thereto by mucilage It. The openings Hi have thetop ends of the shroud lines each extending.

through the reinforcements members l5. The bottom ends of the shroudlines I3 are passed through vertical spaced openings I! provided on thesides of the figure 10 adjacent the top thereof. The ends of the shroudlines are passed through the top-most openings from the back and thenthrough the bottom-most openings to have their ends formed into a knotHi to prevent their withdrawal from the openings I'l.

Means is provided .for shooting the stick upwards into the air. Thismeans comprises an arrow or holder [9 into which the bottom end of thestick H is adapted to be inserted. This holder. 59 comprises a socketmember 20 into which the bottom end of the stick ll 'freely and looselyengages. .The socket member 29 continues into a downwardly extendingstick which is adapted to be engaged with the cross string 22 ;of a bow2-3. The bow 23 merely illustrates one method for shooting theparachutistinto the air, Qther forms of motivating'force might be usedsuch as a rubber bandattached to the end of the stick, a gun having aspring actuating mechanism, or a pneumatic tube.

.Means-is provided for holding, the parachutein a folded position on theback of the parachutist during the time the stick is climbing throughthe air. This means comprises a loop 24 of paper, heavy cloth or othersimilar material mounted upon the back of the parachutist figure. Oneside of this loop 24 is secured in position by means of mucilage 25. Asling 26 is provided beneath the loop 24 to limit the engagement of theparachute sail l2 into the loop 24. This sling 26 has one end attachedto the outer end of the loop 24 and its other one attached to the backface of the figure l0. In Figs. 1 and 2 the parachute sail isillustrated in its folded position and mounted into the loop 24.

The manner of using the parachute toy is as follows: First the parachutesail I2 is folded and the shroud lines l3 are wound around it. Thefolded parachute sail [2, with the shroud lines 13 positioned thereon,is inserted into the loop 24 to rest on the sling 26. The end of thestick II' is inserted into the socket 20 and the stick 2| is engagedwith the cross string 22 and the bow 23 is stretched to shoot assembleddevice into the air. When the device reaches its maximum height theholder 19 will drop back to the earth and the parachute will also startits descent. The rush of air against the parachute sail I2 will force itout of the loop 24 to permit it to open as shown in Fig. 3. In this openposition the figure ID will gradually fall through the air.

To repeat the process of shooting the parachute toy into the air theabove procedure is repeated.

In the modification of the invention shown in Fig. '7 the constructionof the parachute toy is similar to that previously described except thatthe inner end of the sling 26 is attached to the inside of the loop 24by means of mucilage 21.

In other respects this form of. the invention is similar to thatpreviously shown and like reference numerals identify like parts in eachof the several views.

In the modification of the invention shown in Fig. 8 the outer end ofthe sling 26" is provided with a plurality of snap fastener elements 28which are adapted to be selectively engaged with a single complementarysnap fastener element 29 provided on the outer portion of the loop 24.These snap fastener elements 28 to be adjusted to vary the engagement ofthe folded parachute sail I2 into the loop 24.

In other respects this form of the invention is similar to thatpreviously shown and like reference numerals identify like parts in eachof the several views.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to allchanges and modifications coming within the scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

A parachute toy, comprising a lightweight figure of a parachutist, astick attached on and projecting downwards of said figure, a parachutesail, shroud lines from said parachute sail connected with said figure,means for shooting said stick upwards for shooting said figure andparachute upwards, and means for holding said parachute in a foldedposition on said figure automatically releasable while said figure andparachute are up in the air, said latter means compris- 4 ing a loopattached to the back of said lightweight figure and into which saidfolded parachute is adapted to be engaged, and a sling extending beneathsaid loop to limit the engagement of said' folded parachute sail withsaid loop.

2. A parachute toy, comprising a lightweight figure of a parachutist, astick attached on and projecting downwards of said figure, a parachutesail, shroud lines from said parachute sail connected with said figure,means for shooting said stick upwards for shooting said figure andparachute upwards, and means for holding said parachute in a foldedposition on said figure automatically releasable while said figure andparachute are up in the air, said latter means comprising a loop atachedto the back of said lightweight figure and into which said foldedparachute is adapted to be engaged, and a sling extending beneath saidloop to limit the engagement of said folded parachute sail with saidloop, said sling having one end attached to the back of said lightweightfigure and its other end attached to the outer end of said loop.

3. A parachute toy, comprising a lightweight figure of a p-arachutist, astick attached on and projectin downwards of said figure, a parachutesail, shroud lines from said parachute sail connected with said figure,means for shooting said stick upwards for shooting said figure andparachute upwards, and means for holding said parachute in a foldedposition on said figure automatically releasable while said figure andparachute are up in the air, said latter means comprising a loopattached to the back of said lightweight figure and into which saidfolded parachute is adapted to be engaged, and a sling extending beneathsaid loop to limit the engagement of said folded parachute sail withsaid loop, said sling having its ends attached to diametrically oppositeside of said loop.

4. A parachute toy, comprising a lightweight figure of a parachutist, astick attached on and projecting downwards of said figure, a parachutesail, shroud lines from said parachute sail con- 45 nected with saidfigure, means for shooting said stick upwards for shooting said figureand parachute upwards, and means for holding said parachute in a foldedposition on said figure automatically releasable while said figure andpara- 50 chute are up in the air, said latter means comprising a loopattached to the back of said lightweight figure and into which saidfolded parachute is adapted to be engaged, and a sling extending beneathsaid loop to limit the engage- 55 ment of said folded parachute sailwith said loop, said sling having one end securely attached to saidloop, and means for adjustably connecting the opposite end of said slingto an opposed portion of said loop, 60

ALFRED STILLMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,014,571 Craun et al. Jan. 9,1912 1,362,894 Powell Dec, 21, 1920 1,369,504 Van Tassell Feb. 22, 19211,536,722 Miller May 5, 1925 1,675,482 Boyet July 3, 1928

